Simulated television set including diorama and music box



June 18, 1968 J. MERCORELLI 3,333,499

INCLUDING DIORAMA AND MUSIC BOX 5 IMULATED TELEV I S ION SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1965 FIG.

NWMW

E ATTORNEY June 18, 1968 J. MERCORELLI 3,338,499

INCLUDING DIORAMA AND MUSIC BOX SIMULATED TELEVISION SET Filed July 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG.4'

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United States Patent 3,388,499 SIMULATED TELEVISION SET INCLUDING DIORAMA AND MUSIC BOX John Mercorelli, 441 Summer Ave., Newark, NJ. 07104 Filed July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 469,295 Claims. (Cl. 46-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy simulated television set providing a feed spool and a take-up spool for a diorama display that may be rolled from one spool to the other; the take-up spool is driven by a music box which is rewound by drawing the diorama from the take-up spool back onto the feed spool.

This invention relates to toy simulated television sets, and more particularly to such an object which provides an animated fairy tale display or other illustrations accompanied by music, especially music appealing to children.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy having an animated display accompanied by music.

It is another object of this invention to provide a toy simulated television set which provides visual and audible entertainment for children without any electricity being involved.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a toy simulated television set which is harmless.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a toy simulated television set which provides amusement for children, it is relatively inexpensive, durable, and easy for a child to operate.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be obtained by the device shown by way of illustration in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the toy simulated television set illustrative of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a typical music box mechanism to drive a scene;

FIGURE 5 is a partially vertical sectional view of a music box spring motor and a base for a scene;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical elevational view of a sleeve;

and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a base for a sleeve.

Children of tender years display considerable interest in television, but may be kept from manipulating the controls of the television set, and even from the general area where it is placed, by reason of the danger involved if the child should make an inquisitive exploration of the cabinet. It has been found that the inquisitive interest in television sets may be satisfied by a harmless toy which provides both visual and audible entertainment, and yet is entirely safe, because it is free of any electrical paraphernalia. Such a device is hereinafter described.

A toy simulated television set illustrative of the invention provides a housing 11. The housing is made of complementary partsa front section 12 and a rear section 13. These sections, 12, 13 are fastened together by bolts 14. The front of the front portion 12 of the housing is provided with a transparent shield 15. Both the front section 12 and the rear section 13 of the housing 11 are provided with semi-circular edge-openings which accommodate the ends 16, 16 of downwardly extending legs 17, 17 of a handle 18. Likewise the front portion 12, and the rear portion 13, have semi-circular complementary sock- 3,388,499 Patented June 18, 1968 ice ets 19 for the axle 20 of a take up spool 21. Both the front portion 12 and the rear portion 13 of the housing 11 have top enlargements 22 which complement each other and define a central aperture through which the axle 23 of the wind up spool 24 passes. The top of the axle 23 where it extends through the housing is provided with a knurled knob 25.

Complementary channels 26 are formed at the bottom of the housing 11 to receive the legs 27 of a generally horizontal table 28. Each spool is made of a cap 29, a base 30, and a tubular sleeve 31 mounted on the caps 29 and the bases 30. The base 30 of the wind up spool 24 has an axle 10 which is carried by the table'28. The base 30 of the take up spool 21 is also carried by the table 28 and engages the spring motor shaft 32 of a music box 33. A diorama sheet 34 is wound on the take up spool 21. When the knob 25 is rotated, the wind up spool 24 winds up the diorama sheet 34 from the take up spool 21. Since the base 30 of the take up spool 21 is mounted on the spring motor shaft 32 of the music box 33, the winding of the diorama sheet 34, on the wind up spool 24 causes the rotation of the take up spool 21, and the winding of the spring motor 35 of the music box 33. The music box 33 is of the well known type that has a motor shaft which slowly rotates with the rotation of the music cylinder 35. As the shaft 32 rotates being driven by the spring motor 35, the take up spool 21 withdraws the diorama sheet 34 from the wind up spool 24. This causes the diorama sheet to slowly pass by the shield 15, revealing its depicted fairy tale story. At the same time as the music cylinder 35 actuates the usual music comb 36 of the Swiss music box 33 providing a musical accompaniment for the unfolding scene. For the infantile observer, the effect is the sight image and the sound of a television set. When the music box 33 has run down, the diorama 34 will have been rewound back, completely on the take up spool 21, and the device is ready for repeated operation by winding the knob 25 until the diorama 34 is completely wound upon the wind up spool 24. Release of the knob 25 permits the music box spring 35 motor to rotate its shaft 32 and thereby rotate the take up spool 21.

The particular type music box motor that accomplishes these objects is the well known type in which a spring 35 is keyed to the housing 35 and to the drive shaft 32. When the drive shaft 32 is rotated, in one direction, to wind the spring, a spring loaded pawl 36 slides freely over a gear 37. This gear engages a worm (not shown) which drives the music cylinder 35. Speed of rotation is regulated by the governor 38 connected to the music cylinder 35 by a suitable gear train. By the same restrictive means, the speed of wind up of the diorama 34 is regulated.

Both the cap 29 and the base 30 are provided with ribs 39 which engage corresponding slots 40, 40 in the sleeve 31.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being Within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

What is claimed:

'1. A top simulated television set comprising:

(a) ahousing,

(b) a spring lIIlO'EOl in the housing,

(c) a music box and a take-up spool operably connected to the motor,

(d) a diorama having one end attached to the take-up spool,

(e) a wind-up spool in the housing attached to the other end of the diorama,

(f) means whereby the wind-up spool may be manually rotated to wind-up the spring motor, whereby the spring motor may rewind the diorama on the takeup spool, and the music box is simultaneously operated.

2. A toy simulated television set comprising the device according to claim 1, and

(a) a table in the housing,

(b) downturned ends on the table,

(0) the spring motor mounted on the table,

((1) table sockets in the housing,

(e) the ends of the table engaged with the sockets.

3. A toy simulated television set comprising the device according to claim 1, and

(a) a table in the housing,

(b) downturned ends on the table,

(0) the spring motor mounted on the table,

(d) table sockets in the housing,

(e) the ends of the table engaged with the sockets,

(f) axle sockets in the top of the housing,

(g) the top of the spools rotatably seated in the axle sockets,

(h) the bottom of the spools rotatably seated in the tablegsockets.

4. A toy simulated television set comprising the device according to claim 1, in which the wind-up and take-up spools comprise:

(a) generally circular caps and bases,

(b) generally {axial ribs on the caps and bases,

,(c) a tubular sleeve dimensioned to engage the cap and base at opposite ends,

(d) slots in the sleeve dimensioned to receive the ribs,

whereby the sleeve is rigidly connected to the base and rotates to wind up the diorama when the base is rotated by the motor.

5. A toy simulated television set comprising:

(a) a housing shaped to resemble a television apparatus,

(b) a transparent panel in the housing,

(0) a take-up and a wind-up spool mounted for rotation in the housing,

((1) a diorama strip normally wound on the take-up spoolwith one end attached thereto and its other end attached to the wind up spool,

(e) means to rotate the wind-up spool to wind up the strip thereon and off of the take-up spool,

(f) a music box,

(g) a spring motor operably connected to the music box,

(h) the spring motor also operably connected to the take-up spool whereby when the means rotates the wind-up spool and the strip consequently rotates the take-up spool, the spring motor is wound up, and the motor rotates the take-up strip so that the strip is rewound on the take-up spool and at the same time, the motor drives the music box.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,269,968 6/1918 Small 46-43 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,617 8/1952 Great Britain.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

F. B. SHAY. Examiner.

35 R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,388,499 June 18, 1968 John Mercorelli It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 67, "top" should read toy Signed and sealed this 9th day ,of December 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Atteeting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

